Governance Dimension of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological …
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experts as advisors, envisioned “big agriculture” based on local realities, and adopted
the “semi-suburban” economic mode. He led the county to establish a reasonable and
balanced economic structure and a production structure of sound circulation, raise
land utilization rate, and strive at agro-ecological balance and the unity of ecological and economic targets. As a result, Zhengding’s history as a high-yield poor
county came to an end. Considering that the development of township enterprises
and commodity economy may cause environmental pollution, Xi Jinping presided
over the formulation of the Master Plan for Economic, Technological and Social
Development of Zhengding County in 1985, which set the basic goals in environmental protection by the end of the twentieth century—prohibiting destruction of
natural environment, preventing new pollution and addressing existing pollution
sources. The Master Plan specifically stressed that “we’d rather give up economic
benefits than cause pollution; we will prohibit pollution transfer to the countryside.”
The Master Plan also prioritized forestry development as a key to developing ecoagriculture and maintaining eco-balance, and laid down concrete measures for economizing on water and protecting underground water resources, conducting energy
research, and promoting new energies.
3. Xiamen: protecting natural resources, building a beautiful city
From June 1985 to June 1988, Xi Jinping was successively the member of the standing
committee of CPC Xiamen Committee and deputy mayor and executive deputy
mayor of the city. As the leader, trailblazer and builder of the newly established
Xiamen Special Economic Zone, Xi paid close attention to the top-level design for
its development, and presided over the formulation of the Economic and Social Development Strategy of Xiamen 1985–2000, which pointed out the development direction
for the city. In the meantime, he attached great importance to the protection of ecoenvironment and historical culture during urban construction. He took a clear-cut
stance on the overexploitation of natural resources then. “Can we pursue construction at the price of local destruction? I think the answer is clear. Xiamen should not
pursue development at such a price.” “Destruction because of ignorance is no longer
the main problem. The current tendency is destruction during construction, which
is not necessarily caused by uneducated people, but such a behavior reflects a kind
of ignorance, or irresponsibility.” He suggested feasible measurers from an overall
perspective. “The general principle is that maximal eco-environmental protection
should be implemented on the island, and the use of resources outside the island
and in the suburb should also be managed, planned and approved more strictly…We
used to say that when we live by mountains and waters, we should make use of them
as much as possible, but destruction of them must be prohibited resolutely. This is
the duty of governments on all levels.” Regarding the excessive deforestation on the
Wanshi Mountain in Gulangyu, Xi Jinping said many trees on Gulangyu were introduced by overseas Chinese, including a lot of rarities, and called for detailed work to
protect these ancient and rare trees. He also instructed on the overall planning of the
Wanshi Mountain area. “There are very few places where the natural landscape and
cultural landscape exist in harmony. It is necessary to view Gulangyu as a national
treasure and plan its construction and protection with that in mind.” Regarding the
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experts as advisors, envisioned “big agriculture” based on local realities, and adopted
the “semi-suburban” economic mode. He led the county to establish a reasonable and
balanced economic structure and a production structure of sound circulation, raise
land utilization rate, and strive at agro-ecological balance and the unity of ecological and economic targets. As a result, Zhengding’s history as a high-yield poor
county came to an end. Considering that the development of township enterprises
and commodity economy may cause environmental pollution, Xi Jinping presided
over the formulation of the Master Plan for Economic, Technological and Social
Development of Zhengding County in 1985, which set the basic goals in environmental protection by the end of the twentieth century—prohibiting destruction of
natural environment, preventing new pollution and addressing existing pollution
sources. The Master Plan specifically stressed that “we’d rather give up economic
benefits than cause pollution; we will prohibit pollution transfer to the countryside.”
The Master Plan also prioritized forestry development as a key to developing ecoagriculture and maintaining eco-balance, and laid down concrete measures for economizing on water and protecting underground water resources, conducting energy
research, and promoting new energies.
3. Xiamen: protecting natural resources, building a beautiful city
From June 1985 to June 1988, Xi Jinping was successively the member of the standing
committee of CPC Xiamen Committee and deputy mayor and executive deputy
mayor of the city. As the leader, trailblazer and builder of the newly established
Xiamen Special Economic Zone, Xi paid close attention to the top-level design for
its development, and presided over the formulation of the Economic and Social Development Strategy of Xiamen 1985–2000, which pointed out the development direction
for the city. In the meantime, he attached great importance to the protection of ecoenvironment and historical culture during urban construction. He took a clear-cut
stance on the overexploitation of natural resources then. “Can we pursue construction at the price of local destruction? I think the answer is clear. Xiamen should not
pursue development at such a price.” “Destruction because of ignorance is no longer
the main problem. The current tendency is destruction during construction, which
is not necessarily caused by uneducated people, but such a behavior reflects a kind
of ignorance, or irresponsibility.” He suggested feasible measurers from an overall
perspective. “The general principle is that maximal eco-environmental protection
should be implemented on the island, and the use of resources outside the island
and in the suburb should also be managed, planned and approved more strictly…We
used to say that when we live by mountains and waters, we should make use of them
as much as possible, but destruction of them must be prohibited resolutely. This is
the duty of governments on all levels.” Regarding the excessive deforestation on the
Wanshi Mountain in Gulangyu, Xi Jinping said many trees on Gulangyu were introduced by overseas Chinese, including a lot of rarities, and called for detailed work to
protect these ancient and rare trees. He also instructed on the overall planning of the
Wanshi Mountain area. “There are very few places where the natural landscape and
cultural landscape exist in harmony. It is necessary to view Gulangyu as a national
treasure and plan its construction and protection with that in mind.” Regarding the